The use of threaded fasteners and connectors is universal where high strength attachments are required and where disassembly may be required in the future without damage or deformation to the components. Nevertheless, such threaded fastener assemblies are prone to damage in certain environments where high temperatures, corrosive agents, and/or other harmful conditions may cause the fastener assembly to seize. A typical example of such a situation is often found in automobile engine exhaust systems, particularly at the exhaust manifold or manifold pipe where temperatures are at their highest in the system.
When this occurs, one or more of the externally threaded or male fastener components is often damaged or sheared off during disassembly. The relatively short length of externally threaded stud remaining is usually insufficient to provide for the attachment of a new nut or fastener thereto for reassembly when the thickness of the attached component is placed over the base structure. Accordingly, the traditional method of correcting the situation was to drill out the damaged, broken off stud, tap the newly drilled hole, and install another stud in the newly tapped hole. While this produces a repair that is just as strong and durable as the original installation, the labor involved is considerable, particularly if access is limited to the work area and if further disassembly is required for access.
A vast number of threaded connectors, both internal (female) and external (male) have been developed in the past. For example, the development of relatively long threaded rods for use in the construction industry has resulted in the development of internally threaded, elongate sleeves and the like for the assembly of two or more lengths of such rods. The problem with such internally threaded sleeves is that they are invariably excessively bulky due to the relatively thick wall construction and continuous hexagonal (or other shape) wrench flats, which extend for the entire length of the sleeve. While this results in relatively economical manufacture, the overall diameter of such a fastener precludes its use in an installation where it is located within a surrounding fastener clearance passage in order to provide for a secondary stud and nut assembly to be secured thereto where required.
Thus, an internally threaded connector solving the aforementioned problems is desired.